"He is dangerous, a demon disguised as human. His eyes crave souls, and mind makes your life a living hell. How could I be so unlucky to meet him?"

I took a deep sigh, coming out of the thoughts,"If you ever feel the silence, something big might happen. If you ever hear a sweet voice, one that mesmerizes your soul, run, hide in the caves, and shut your ears. It's him, wandering for a new prey."

I took her hand as if it was the last time. Maybe she is his next prey, the eyes of her—green like the forest, it attracts him, makes him crazy.

"But how do you know about him so well? Have you seen him?"

A smile came, one that reminded me of the memories I had, the cage he called home, the dark room, where my soul was tied, pleading to be released. Suddenly, a tear fell, taking me back to the night, to the woods, where his eyes met my shadow, and for once my heart wanted to bleed, to let go of the love I still hold.

"Aine, it's time to go", I heard a call from behind, "I'm coming". Every day, I had to leave, not because I wanted to, but because he was a predator, who tasted my blood, who is mad, whose heart is of rock, and his hands never tremble, his eyes smile when you plead for your life.

Once we were a family, who lived in this forest—our home, where we grew up. But now, we are just ten girls left, who hide in the woods, before dawn comes. Our lives are no longer in our hands, and every whisper, every voice, takes us to his trap.

Leaving our beautiful home, we all hide in the cave, near the waterfall. And every time we hear the sound of horses, we hold our breath, hide ourselves.

Yet, he can see through the darkest ends, pulling you out to have your blood, to leave you with haunting dreams.

And I was not the only one, he had his eyes on.

He took everyone, he destroyed my peaceful life, and now the silence of the wind, reminds me of his voice, his steps getting closer, and the nightmare where I'm once again in his hands, pleading to let me go home.

And today, I felt the same, the wind from the east brought his fragrance. Maybe he was in search of a new prey, to satisfy his hunger.

I wish this name would have died in the dark, because I hate my name on his lips, I hate my fragrance in his grasp, I hate myself for trading with my heart.

I'm the destroyer of my peace and of their freedom.

But still my heart has not forgotten his smile, his voice, his touch. Somewhere between fear and hatred, his shadow traps me, it speaks to me in the illusion of something he never was.

"Marina, run. Hide behind the bushes."

It was him, the monster. Marina is older than me, our second guardian. The blood in her veins is blessed by the forest spirit, Orin.

She was just a child, born with forest green eyes, different from us, yet the most powerful among our group.

And now he had the smell of her, he saw the eyes.

How could he not want to own her blood?

"Aine don't worry. You need to go from here. He can't find you", Marina's words echoed inside me.

What if he finds me? What if he knows I'm still alive?

Will he kill me? Will he trap me in his dark, demon realm?

There was silence all around. Even the wind stopped, the leaves no longer whispered.

"It's him", I stammered, I could feel the shadow curling this cave. A dark fragrance for possession, and he was coming, to own another soul, another green eyes.

We held our breath. The fire no longer burned, but its smoke was enough to give him a creepy smile.

His horse stopped.

"Don't cry. Hide behind the rocks and no matter what happens, none of you will come out", our mother silenced us, because she already knew what was going to happen.

His steps got closer. He entered the cave, with a smile of a demon, who is ready to satisfy his greed.

My heart was beating with the sound of his breath, my body trembled, it feared his presence.

"Oh, the god mother", his laugh echoed in the cave," Where's my prey?", his eyes were lustful.

"You are a demon. Just leave this place. There's no one left, you killed them all."

"Haha, I have spared you. You know why? Because I want to see you dying every day, every night. I want your life to fear, to know what pain is."

"You can kill me, but I won't let your hunt continue", there was silence.

No voice, no laughter, a silence that scares your soul.

"Marina, let me go. He will kill my mother", she pulled my hand, pleading to stay.

Tears rolled down, my breath got heavy.

The silence was haunting. Seeing me impatient, seeing the silence, Marina stood up, she peeked out. There was no one. He vanished, so does mother.

"He took her", I broke down in tears, panting. All others were scared.

Syria shouted, "Marina, no."

Marina was his new prey, she was destined to fall in his trap.

As soon as she stepped out, he entered with his horse.

"There you are", a dangerous laugh, "I have been waiting for you. Let's go to our new home."

He took Marina. Once again the silence surrounded us. Our protector was gone.

Mother came running. "My child."

She broke down.

He hunted for us like a predator searches for its prey.

I wish I could have never gone to the flower garden, maybe I'm responsible for their death.

Can I rewrite this tale of being a prey?

Can I ever get out of his demon realm and from the fear?

Or will we die someday with his hands?

Today was Marina and tomorrow will be someone else.

His greed for souls will end with our lives, with every one of us having green eyes.

Days turned to weeks, but we couldn't find Marina anywhere.

"Mom, is this all because of me?", I could no longer carry the weights of regrets, tears flowed down effortlessly.

She held my hand. Trying to comfort me, but the truth was that everyone is being hunted by the devil because of me.

He would come when the sun sleeps, and would take one of us.

We don't know whether he killed them or kept them in prison.

"Aine", Kaira whispered holding my hand,"Will he take me too?"

I could see the pain, the fear and the truth in her eyes.

I couldn't dare to look at her eyes.

How could I lie to her, when she already knows everything.

And when her fate can't be changed.

I stepped out of the cave.

My heart wants to go there again.

"Why are you here?", Mom pulled me inside.

"Mom", tears fell like rain, "Let me go."

She looked at me, startled.

"Aine, my daughter. You know how precious you are. You can't let our efforts, our death go in vain."

"But he will find us", I stammered, "And...Kaira...she is still a kid. He...he'll kill her."

"I know we can't hide here, but don't worry I'll find a way to get out. We will leave this forest."

I looked at her,"But...where can we go? This is our home."

She hugged me,"We will go far away from this devil's trap."

The night was heavy for me. I never thought that fate would take me to this end.

Kaira was lying beside me.

"He can't hurt her. She is just a kid", I don't want to trust him, but somewhere between fear and hatred, I still believe he is not a devil.

It was midnight, I looked beside me.

"Kaira", she wasn't there.

I looked here and there. My heart was racing with fear.

I saw a shadow, and someone was standing near the cave.

"Is it him?", terror seized me.

With trembling steps I stepped out.

"Kaira, what are you doing here?"

It was her. I finally had a breath.

"Ai…Aine...", she was scared.

"What happened?", I held her tighter, whispering reassurances.

"I heard Amy…she was calling me. She is...still alive."

Kaira's words froze me.

"Amy? How can she be here", I said to myself.

I took her inside. Kaira was probably having a dream, where she saw Amy.

Mother saw us coming inside, "I have told you several times, to not step out after sunset. And you are here at this time. Aine, she is a child, but you know what can happen."

I wanted to explain, but that was all in vain.

"It wasn't a dream, Aine. I saw Amy, she was scared, her hands were bleeding", tears flowed from her eyes,"And...as I took steps toward her..."

"What happened, Kaira?"

"Smoke filled the surroundings. There were some voices, unusual. And then...then she was not here. He took her, Aine", and she started crying.

Though I convinced her that it was all just an illusion, but my brain was stuck on her words.

What if Amy is still alive?

Is it his trap or just a mere coincidence?

"I'll have to find out the truth behind it", I thought.